Some embodiments described herein relate to a physical product sample provided with at least one physical product sample code. Some embodiments described herein relate to a physical product sample code that may be used to locate or provide a physical product sample. Some embodiments described herein further relate to a method for compiling such a physical product sample code. Some embodiments described herein additionally relate to a method for providing a physical product sample with such a physical product sample code. Some embodiments described herein moreover relate to a method for acquiring physical product sample related information, wherein said physical product sample is provided with such a physical product sample code. Some embodiments described herein further relate to a computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions which, when loaded onto a computer system, provide the computer system with the functionality of any of the aforementioned methods. Some embodiments described herein also relate to a system for compiling a physical product sample code using the method for compiling said sample code.
‘Globalization’ is commonly used as a shorthand way of describing the spread and connectedness of production, communication and technologies across the world. That spread has involved the interlacing of economic and cultural activity. This globalization in the sense of connectivity in economic and cultural life across the world, has been growing for centuries. However, many believe the current situation is of a fundamentally different order to what has gone before. The speed of communication and exchange, the complexity and size of the networks involved, and the sheer volume of trade, interaction and risk give what we now label as ‘globalization’ a peculiar force. One has described globalization as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. This involves a change in the way we understand geography and experience localness. As well as offering opportunity it brings with considerable risks linked, for example, to marketing, technological change, and business control.
Globalization, thus, has powerful economic, political, cultural and social dimensions. Developments in the life sciences, and in digital technology and the like, have opened up vast, new possibilities for production and exchange. Innovations like the Internet have made it possible to access information and resources across the world and to coordinate activities in real time. An important downside of the globalization is the creation of a diffuse market in which it is getting harder and harder to control product marketing and supply chain processes leading to an explosion in the international trade in counterfeit products which lead to both infringement of the owner's intellectual property rights and to misleading of unaware customers. Product counterfeiting is a big business—estimated to cost hundreds of billions of euros each year. It impacts the global economy in a variety of ways including consumers that believe they are buying authentic products, legitimate manufacturers that invest in safety and quality manufacturing processes, and retailers that want to provide safe, reliable products to their customers. Since the products are commonly labelled with a conventional code, such as a conventional barcode, it is commonly very troublesome to track and trace legitimate products and to distinguish counterfeited products from legitimate products.
There is a first need to improve the ability to track and trace legitimate products to protect owners and other parties involved in the product supply chain against infringement of intellectual property rights and to protect the customer against fraudulent manipulation of products.
There is a second related need to improve distribution of and access to product-related information to consumers and/or to other parties involved in the product supply chain, which is an important tool for verifying the authenticity of the product, and moreover for minimizing sales cycle times, improving user satisfaction, reducing warranty costs, and minimizing manufacturer liability. The presentation of desired and regulated information often occupies a great deal of physical product label space and is often limited to the industrial and aesthetic design of the physical product packaging.
A physical product sample may be provided with at least one unique sample code, said physical product sample code comprising at least a sample owner identifying code segment, and a sample identifying code segment, wherein the sample owner identifying code segment is specified by an Internet address, in particular an IP address and/or a domain name, of an owner of the physical sample, said sample code string as such both identifies the physical product sample and represents a reference to a unique digital location via which digital location access can be gained to information related to the physical product sample. By labelling each physical product sample with a world-wide unique physical product sample code acting as worldwide unique identifier, comparable with a DNA profile or fingerprint, one specific physical product sample can be distinguished easily and unambiguously from another physical product sample throughout the world regardless of its context. This world-wide unique identification is facilitated by the recognizable (identifiable) incorporation of the IP address and/or the domain name of a (present or prior) owner of the physical product sample. Moreover, since the sample code is associated with a digital path to a digital location where or via which information (metadata), such as specific physical product sample details about the product, production process, data of origin, personal user related information, et cetera, relating to said physical product sample is stored and can be traced/found, it can be verified relatively easily whether the physical sample has been manipulated or is authentic. Since the information stored at the digital location is sample specific rather than kind specific (variety specific), this can not only result in the ability to provide detailed and tailored information to customers for improving e.g. customer satisfaction in a relatively easy and user-friendly manner, but can also improve the ability to verify the authenticity of the physical product sample as such.
A physical product sample, also considered as a single individual product entity, is thus defined to have a unique identity and to be distinguishable (individualizable) from all other physical product samples in the scope of its specification criteria, with certainty. A physical product sample as individual entity therefore clearly differs from a product series, a product category, or a product variety. In the context of the patent application the nature and representation of the term “physical product sample” is a physical item or being including, for example a good, a packaging of goods, such as a blister pack or a pellet with goods; a person, or an animal. The term “owner” incorporates (among others) the originator, publisher, distributor, author, and/or creator, wherein it may be advantageous in case an actual or previous ownership of the physical product sample can be deduced from the IP address and/or the domain name of the owner as used and visualized in the sample code itself The term “digital location” can be a location at a computer of the owner as code issuing party, though it can also be a remote location in a private or public cloud computing infrastructure employing Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software and information are provided to computers and other devices on-demand, like a public utility.
The physical product sample code is commonly attached to the physical product sample, and may in particular be printed on (a label of) the physical product sample. In case the physical product sample code is printed on a label of the physical product sample, a user can easily identify and read the sample code, and may therefore commonly easily recognize the metadata, such as the owner identity, of the code segments used, after which the sample code may directly—thus without any conversion step—be entered as URL into a web browser to retrieve tailored information about the physical product sample.
Commonly, the physical product sample code is provided in an alphanumeric format, wherein separation characters may be applied to separate adjacent sample code segments. The physical product sample code may be represented in a machine-readable format on the physical product sample. In case the sample code is printed on (a label of) the physical product sample, the sample code may be read, for example, by using an optical scanner. By applying optical character recognition, the scanned sample code will be converted into a set of characters identical to the sample string of the sample code, which can subsequently be entered either automatically or manually into a web browser. The machine-readable sample code may also be represented in an encrypted iconographic format, such as a 2D/3D barcode and/or as a RFID tag. It should be noted that these iconographic representations commonly look similar to the known iconographic representations, though the content, meaning, and use of the iconographic representation of the physical product sample code is completely different from the iconographic representation of known product series codes. The sample code may be represented as an alias on the physical product code, although it may be preferable that the Internet address of the originator remains recognizable for a user from the product.
The sample code segments are selectively ordered to build an identifying path referring either directly or indirectly to a digital location, in particular a web location, where information relating to the physical sample can be found. The digital path may commonly represent a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which may (automatically) be provided with a prefix, such as http, https, ftp, ftps, mailto, file, by a web browser.
In an embodiment, the sample code itself may represent at least a part of a digital path where information relating to the specific sample is stored, meaning that the sample code is incorporated in the digital path. In case the sample code and the digital path are mutually distinctive a cross-reference should be present between the sample code representing a first web address and the digital location representing a second web address. Commonly this cross-reference is stored in a database. Storing the cross-reference as a link between the sample code and the digital path may facilitate translating the sample code into a digital path where the sample related information can be found. Moreover, storage of this data may facilitate updating the cross-references in case of a change of the digital path in order to prevent unlinking (dead linking) of the sample code with respect to the actual location where the sample related information is stored and can be traced and found. Upon entering of the sample code in a web browser by a user, the sample code entered may be compared with a corresponding sample code stored in the database, wherein the user is redirected to a digital path stored in the database as a cross-reference of the stored sample code. Indirect redirection may be implemented by using a programmed script for automatically comparing the entered sample code with the sample codes in the database, and directing the user to the digital location providing additional information about the physical sample.
The sample code segments are selectively ordered to build an identifying path referring directly or indirectly (via a cross-referenced digital path) to a digital location where physical product sample related information can be found. Since the universally unique physical product sample code commonly represents a URL to make this physical product sample code suitable for world-wide use and to obtain simple and easy access to the physical product sample related information, the owner identifying code segment commonly comprises a domain name and/or an IP address associated with a web location where the information related to the physical product sample is stored. The domain name and/or the IP address are commonly related to the manufacturer, creator, and/or (original) owner of the physical product samples. The owner identifying code segment may also be linked to an identity of an owner holder.
Besides the owner identifying code segment and the sample identifying code segment the physical product sample code, the physical product sample code may comprise various other code segments. In an embodiment the sample code string comprises at least one checking code segment representing the result of a predetermined mathematical processing of at least one other sample code segment. The algorithm used to calculate the value of the checking code segment may be defined when defining the sample code structure during compilation of the sample code. This algorithm may for example show similarities with the known ISBN (International Standard Book Number) code check. The algorithm for generating an ISBN check characters works as follows. To generate the ISBN check character, each ISBN digit is multiplied by a predetermined associated weighting factor and the resulting products are added together. The weighting factors for the first nine digits begin with 10 and form the descending series 10, 9, 8 . . . 2. Thus for the nine digits 0 9 4 0 0 1 6 3 3, the products summed are 0+81+32+0+0+5+24+9+6=157. This sum is divided by the number 11. (157/11=14 with 3 remainder). The remainder, if any, is subtracted from 11 to get the check digit. (11−3=8). If the check digit is 10, it is represented by the Roman numeral X. The final ISBN in this example is accordingly 0-940016-33-8. By generating the check digit and comparing it with the received check digit, the validity of the ISBN may be verified. As mentioned above, a similar or comparable check may be incorporated in the physical product sample code.
The sample code string may further comprise at least one user related code segment. Although each physical product sample code, irrespective of the presence of a user related code segment, in fact functions as a worldwide unique personal code, the advantage of incorporating a user related code segment is that the content stored at the digital location can be made more personal, wherein personal information of the customer—if agreed upon—can be displayed as content at the digital location. In practice, this would commonly require a last-minute compilation of the physical product sample code after registration of the buyer's data, such as name, address, et cetera. For example, in case a buyer would buy a pair of shoes at a physical store or a digital (web) store, the physical product sample code incorporating a user related code segment may be compiled after registration and—commonly—after approval of the order. The buyer will receive his pair of shoes, wherein the pair of shoes and/or the shoe box as packaging is provided with the physical product sample code. By using this physical product sample code as path reference to the digital location tailored physical product sample specific information can be retrieved, which may be displayed in the form of a personal webpage which may e.g. comprise details relating to the buyer, the pair of shoes, the store, the salesman, warranty information, previous orders, personally recommended products, etcetera. The user related code segment may commonly form metadata, such as a client number or pseudonym, referring to the buyer. It is also conceivable that the user related code segment comprises a user identifying code segment. In this manner the identity, such as the name, of the user/buyer becomes directly clear from metadata represented by the code segments.
It is further imaginable that the sample code string comprises at least one intermediary identifying code segment relating to the identity of an intermediary e.g. used to manufacture, supply, support, distribute, sell, and/or promote the physical product sample.
The sample code string may also comprise at least one production process related code segment relating to at least one parameter of the production process of the physical product sample. This production process related code segment may cover for example the date and/or the location of manufacturing, and/or more specific production process parameters, like the temperature at which the physical product sample is manufactured or the material from which the physical product sample is manufactured.
The sample code string commonly further comprises at least one punctuation mark for separating adjacent sample code segments. This punctuation mark may be of a different nature, though since the sample code commonly also acts as URL often a slash (‘/’) sign is used to separate adjacent code segments. In a correct URL syntax commonly a slash sign is also positioned behind the last code segment. In addition to these separation characters, also other typographic signs, like a tilde (‘˜’), a dot (‘.’), an underscore (‘_’), and a minus sign (‘−’), may be used between and/or within the code segments themselves.
Embodiments also may relate to a universally unique physical product sample code for the purpose of providing and identifying a physical product sample with as defined already above in a comprehensive manner.
Embodiments further may relate to a method for compiling such a universally unique physical product sample code, comprising: A) defining at least one sample code template comprising multiple sample code segments to be used for building a sample code for a physical product sample, said sample code segments at least comprising: a sample owner identifying code segment, and a sample identifying code segment, B) specifying the content of the sample code segments to be used for building said sample code, wherein the sample owner identifying code segment is specified by an Internet address, in particular an IP address and/or a domain name, of an owner of the physical sample, C) stringing the specified sample code segments to form the sample code, D) defining a digital path, such as a URL, to a digital location via which access can be to information related to the physical sample, and E) creating a cross-reference between the sample code generated during step C) and the digital path defined during step D) if the sample code and the digital path are mutually distinctive.
In an embodiment, the method includes step F) comprising storing the sample code, the digital path, and the cross-reference between the sample code and the digital path in a database. As already mentioned, storing the cross-reference as a link between the sample code and the digital path may facilitate translating the sample code into a digital path where the physical sample can be found. Additionally, storage of this data may facilitate updating the cross-references in case of a change of the digital path in order to prevent unlinking (dead linking) of the sample code with respect to the actual location where the physical sample related information is stored and can be traced and found.
The sample code segments are selectively ordered to build an identifying path referring either directly or indirectly to a digital location, in particular a web location, where the digital sample can be found. The digital path may commonly represent a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which may (automatically) be provided with a prefix, such as http, https, ftp, ftps, mailto, file, by a web browser. In an embodiment, at least a part of the digital path is identical to the sample code, meaning that the sample code is incorporated in the digital path. In case the sample code and the digital path are substantially identical, creating a cross-reference in accordance with step E) may be omitted. In this respect, the term “substantially identical” is being used to show that there may be a minor differences between the sample code and the digital path which do not have any effect in practice. For example, although the digital path may commonly have a prefix, such as “http://”, such a prefix may not be present in the visualized sample code itself. However, since most web browsers will automatically add a prefix in front of a web address not already having such a prefix, the sample code as such may easily be used as web address (digital path) leading to a web location (digital location) where the requested digital sample is stored.
The method optionally comprises step G) comprising converting the sample code generated during step C) into a machine-readable format. Advantages have been described above. Alternatively, the method comprises step H) comprising translating at least the sample identifying code segment of the sample code into another language and matching characters. Since the sample identifying code segment may comprise metadata relating to the physical sample associated with the sample code and the metadata provides relevant recognizable information about the physical sample, it may be user-friendly to offer and display these metadata in the language of the location/country where the physical sample code is issued. An example of possible metadata incorporated and named in the at least one sample identifying code segment is information relating to the author, title, subject, keywords, size, version, date of creation, remarks, and/or status of the physical sample. The IP address and/or the domain name of an owner as incorporated in the owner identifying code segment is commonly not translated and commonly remains unchanged during step H).
In an embodiment the sample code segments defined during step A) further comprise a user related code segment which may either be static or dynamic (dependent on one or more parameters which change in course of time). Although each sample code, irrespective of the presence of a user related code segment, already functions as a world-wide unique personal code, one advantage provided by incorporating a user related code segment is that the content stored at the digital location can be made more personal to the user. If agreed upon, personal information of the customer such as a client number, pseudonym and/or personal permissions (e.g., read/write permissions), can be displayed as content at the digital location and/or as metadata incorporated in the user related code segment. This user information may be static which therefore results in a static user related code segment. It is also imaginable that the user related segment incorporates user related information (metadata) which varies with the course of time, such as the age of the user or other personal information. Once issued, the sample code will generally not change, but the sample code issued may be dependent on parameters which are applicable at the moment of issuing the sample code. In practice, this would commonly require a last-minute compilation of the product sample code after registration of relevant user data, such as name, address, et cetera. It is conceivable that the user related code segment comprises a user identifying code segment. In this manner, the identity, such as the name of the user, is evident from metadata represented by the code segments.
It is further imaginable that the sample code string comprises at least one intermediary identifying code segment relating to the identity of an intermediary e.g., used to manufacture, supply, support, distribute, sell, and/or promote the product sample. The intermediary identifying code segment, optionally based on the domain name or IP address of the intermediary, may comprise the identity of the intermediary but may also comprise other metadata relating to the intermediary, such as a platform or service offered to the public via which physical samples can be accessed. One example is related to the distribution of a (unique) pair of Nike shoes type Air Max via department store Harrods. A sample code associated with a specific physical sample may be represented as follows: “www.nike.com/harrods.com/airmax-12345”, wherein “www.nike.com” represents the owner identifying code segment, “harrods.com” represents the intermediary identifying segment, and “airmax-12345” represents the physical sample identifying segment including metadata relating to the shoe type of the physical sample. This sample code represents a web link which leads—either directly or indirectly—to information related to that specific sample.
It may be beneficial during step A) to define at least one punctuation mark for separating adjacent code segments during step C) and/or a checking code segment as already elucidated above.
In another embodiment the sample code segments defined during step A) further comprises a sample code security identifying code segment. Application of this code segment can counteract abuse of the sample code by parties with malicious intent, since this security identifying code segment can be used as a check to determine the authenticity of the sample code. For example, after entering the sample code into a web browser, a validity check of the sample code security identifying code segment may be performed. This security related code segment may be time-dependent (“dynamic”), meaning that the code segment will only be valid for a limited period of time. In case the security check shows that the sample code is no longer valid or in force, access to the physical sample will not be granted. The security identifying code segment hence acts as an interactive key to gain access to the (web) page where the physical sample related information is stored.
During step A) not only the number and kind of the code segments used to build a code may be defined, but also the order of defined code segments to be stringed may also be defined. This allows for creation of a complete sample code template (code format), wherein code segments are ordered in a predetermined order. Determining the order of code segments during step A) can enhance the handling of sample codes and co-related storage locations of the physical sample related information.
In an embodiment, step A) may be repeatedly performed to generate multiple sample code templates, wherein the method further comprises step I) comprising choosing a code template to be applied prior to executing step B). Generating multiple templates may allow for additional differentiation in sample codes provided to users. For example, a party may offer physical samples directly to customers and indirectly to customers by making use of an intermediary. In doing so, different sample code templates may be used, where the direct customers may receive a code such as “www.owner.com/sample_id—1234” which does not use an intermediary, while indirect customers may receive a code such as “www.owner.com/intermediary.com/sample_id—5678” which utilizes an intermediary.
The aforementioned method may be performed using a software module having a user interface to allow the user to generate a world-wide unique sample code.
An embodiment also relates to a method for providing a physical sample with a unique sample code, comprising: J) creating a physical sample, K) compiling a unique sample code for the physical sample according to the method described above, L) marking the physical sample with at least one compiled sample code, M) storing sample information related to the physical sample at a digital location, N) storing the sample code, and O) creating a cross-reference between a digital path referring to said digital location and the sample code in case the sample code and the digital path are mutually distinctive. Marking the sample with the physical sample code according to step L) may facilitate tracking and tracing of the physical sample. A physical sample may be labelled with multiple unique sample codes. The multiple unique sample codes are commonly printed on the physical sample and/or attached to the physical sample in a manner visible and recognizable for a standard user.
In an embodiment, the method may include step P) comprising providing the sample code to a user, in particular the creator of the physical sample. This may be performed by sending the user an e-mail which includes the sample code. The sample code may be displayed as plain text in the body of the email which contains a hyperlink. Alternatively, the sample code may be attached as a separate attachment to the email. Since the sample code is commonly represented by a string of a limited number of alphanumeric signs and punctuation marks, the sample code is commonly no larger than 1 kilobyte. Since only the sample code and not the physical sample related information as such is distributed, Internet traffic and storage load may be significantly reduced. By storing sample codes instead of the sample files in a computing cloud, users can be offered a secure exchange of information in cloud computing environment.
An embodiment further relates to a method for gaining access to a physical sample provided with a unique sample code according to the method defined above, comprising: Q) providing the sample code to a user, R) allowing to the user to enter the sample code into a web browser, and S) redirecting the user to the digital location where the physical sample related information is stored. When the user is redirected to the digital location, access to the sample information can be gained. Redirecting to may be considered as referring to. For example the redirection may be either direct or indirect. Direct redirection may refer to entering the sample code as a web address into an address bar of a web browser, where the physical sample related information is stored at said web address. In comparison, indirect redirection may refer to entering the sample code into the web browser and translating the sample code into a digital path such as a URL by using a cross-reference database or table, after which the user is led to the digital path where the physical sample related information is stored. During step S) the sample code entered during step R) may be compared with a corresponding sample code stored in the database, wherein the user is redirected to a digital path stored in the database as a cross-reference of the stored sample code. During step Q, the sample code may be provided as a hyperlink to the user, wherein during step R) the user can automatically enter the sample code into the web browser by clicking the hyperlink. Indirect redirection may be implemented by using a programmed script for automatically comparing the entered sample code with the sample codes in the database, and directing the user to the digital location where the physical sample related sample specific information is stored.
An embodiment moreover relates to a computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions which, when loaded onto a computer system, provide the computer system with the functionality of the method for compiling a sample code, and/or the method of providing a sample code to a physical sample as described above. Examples of computer-readable media are USB-sticks, internal and external hard drives, diskettes, CD-ROM's, DVD-ROM's, and others.
An embodiment also relates to a database comprising at least one cross-reference between a sample code according to an embodiment and a digital path to a digital location where a physical sample associated with said sample code is stored. The use of such a cross-reference table allows the sample code to be converted into a digital path to a digital location where the physical sample can be found.
An embodiment further relates to a system for compiling a world-wide unique sample code using the above method, comprising: at least one sample code template generator for defining at least one sample code template comprising multiple sample code segments to be used for building a sample code for a physical sample, said sample code segments at least comprising a sample owner identifying code segment, and a sample identifying code segment, at least one sample code segment specification module connected to said template generator for specifying the content of the sample code segments defined by means of the code template generator, wherein the sample owner identifying code segment is specified by an address of an owner of the physical sample, at least one code generator connected to said template generator and said specification module for stringing the specified sample code segments to form the world-wide unique sample code, and at least one database for storing at least one cross-reference between a generated sample code and a digital path to a digital location via which access can be gained to physical sample related information in case the sample code and the digital path are mutually distinctive. For example, some embodiments of the sample code have already been described herein.
In some embodiments, the system may be a (cloud) computer-implemented system which may be fully automated after proper setup and initialization. An embodiment of the system may further include at least one service module for administering the system for issuing a sample code. A digital user/administrator interface for controlling and maintaining the template generator, the specification module, and the code generator are included in the system according to an embodiment. The system may additionally include a sample storage device for storage of physical sample related information at a digital location of which the digital path is stored in the database. An example of a suitable sample storage device is a web server, optionally in the cloud. In an embodiment, the system further includes a distribution/communication module for distributing/communicating the generated sample code to one or more users.
An embodiment relates to a system for handling a request for gaining access to a physical sample provided with a sample code according to the method described above, comprising: a web client for allowing a user to enter the sample code, and a handling module connected to said web client for comparing the sample code entered with a corresponding sample code stored in a database as defined in the aforementioned system, wherein the user is redirected to a digital path stored in said database as cross-reference of said stored sample code for gaining access to physical sample related information. The web client is commonly formed by a user's computer and/or a user's mobile device on which an Internet browser has been installed. The web client may thus either be a computer or a mobile device, in particular a smart phone, connected to the Internet.
Embodiments can allow for clear identification of the origin or source of the physical sample as well as of the physical sample itself. The sample code segments may be constructed together to allow for access to the physical sample through a digital path in a manner similar to a URL, while also uniquely identifying the physical sample, its ownership and/or source, and any intermediary or other information identified in the sample code segments. This integration of the code segments may also enable the owner or source or the owner's system or the source's system to track and trace what happens with the physical sample. Tracking and tracing can be facilitated by logging the sample related market activities, such as the date and location at which and from which a sample code is submitted by a user using the Internet in order to request the tailored sample related information.
Embodiments allow for a context-independent, broad or worldwide identification of specific samples based on metadata particular to each individual sample. If desired, the code system described in embodiments could be used in a specific internal scope by including an internal reference to the origin or scope of the sample inaccessible to outside users. In addition, a purely internal specification scope of the code system used by a specific company could be transformed into an external scope accessible to other organizations or individuals by integrating the origin or source of the sample into the specification scope. A scope change to transforming an external specification scope of the code system to an internal scope could also be similarly performed by removing a reference to the origin or scope of the sample. Furthermore, a code system according to an embodiment could be configured to allow for access to a variety of samples of different types. The other organizations or individuals may be provided access on a selected basis according to various embodiments, for example, with different levels of permissions, different groups and subgroups, different security levels, and so forth.
Some embodiments pertain to the use of code generators for a variety of purposes, including, but not limited to the generation of values for a particular code segment, defining sample code templates used for building sample codes for a physical sample, or combining various sample code segments together to form a sample code. For example, a code generator may generate the specified segment values by executing its function using input values from a variety of data sources, including, but not limited to, queries on a database or metadata input from the physical sample. Code generators may be used for quality or integrity control segments, and also for segments with a dynamic value.
Some embodiments also allow for the controlled use of metadata solely on an authorization basis of the user. For example, code samples may include a segment identifying the ownership or source of the physical sample, which may be accompanied by user specification segments identifying the user of the code sample in more detail. For example, the user specification segment could consist of an intermediate such as a distributor or retailer, a customer, consumer, controller, customs, or could use definitions such as a patient, practitioner, pharmacist, inhabitant, or other. Such a user segment could specify that special metadata concerning the sample could only be accessed by the authorized user of the sample code, requiring that user to authorize or grant specific access to that sample.
Some embodiments also allow for partial sharing of sample code segment values by several codes if the coded samples share a portion of their specification metadata for identification. This could enable the owner or user of the sample codes additional error-checking or verification options in determining if the code samples are valid, or could enable the owner or creator additional processing options based on the shared metadata.
Some embodiments allow for the combination of sample codes for several samples to identify a new sample based on an existing relationship between the combined samples. For example, the combination of the samples can preserve the origin of the samples as well as any specification criteria related to the intermediaries of the combined samples.